As we celebrate another West indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, New York in September, a conversation arose from the Carib News’ staff meeting about something that would add to the pride and joy of being a Caribbean person in the United States this year. The only thing we could think of that we have not yet achieved, is Calypso/Soca as a Grammy category.
Staff reached out to a few music afiicionados in the community to get a sense of why this has not been a serious intiative since Calypso was introduced in the 1970s.
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It is evident from information we received that this initiative is not without previous effort on the part of some.
However, the fact that other groups have been able to record this as an achievement for their music genres leaves much to be desired about why Calypso/Soca is not there yet in the last four or five decades.
To explain this, let’s start at the beginning…
The Origins of Soca Music
Soca Music developed as a by-product of Calypso. In the 1970s in Trinidad, Calypso was losing favor with the younger generation as reggae from Jamaica and Soul and Funk from the USA rose to popularity. As a result, Lord Shorty (Ras Shorty I), developed Soca in an effort to restore Calypso’s prevalence. Shorty was the first to define his music as “Soca” during 1973 when his hit song “Indrani” caused musical waves on radio stations and at parties and clubs – not just in his native Trinidad and Tobago, but also in cities like New York, Toronto and London.
Soca literally means the ‘(So)ul of (Ca)lypso’, and represents a fusion of African and Caribbean Kaiso, Calypso and South Asian rhythms. At its introduction, it combined the musical traditions to the two major ethnic groups of cosmopolitan Trinidad and Tobago. It started as a two-category genre – Chutney Soca – the fusion of Chutney music, Indian music and Soca; and Groovy Soca – a slower beat of 115 beats per minute.
Gil Figaro, the Chairman and Founder of the SUNSHINE Awards gave us a bit of history on the topic.
He said, “There is no doubt that Calypso music has come of age to be a part of the Grammy Awards with it’s own category. In fact, Calypso has been around in the United States since the 1940s. Dr. Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool stated in his book “Rituals of Power and Rebellion” that Calypso music reached many Americans through the famous “Rum and Coca Cola” case of the 1940s. A Calypso by that name originally composed by calypsonian Lord Invader was brought to the United States by Morey
Amsterdam, an American comedian who entertained troops in Trinidad around 1943. “Rum and Coca Cola” was speedily recorded by the Andrews Sisters on Decca Records (US 18636) on October 18, 1944. It reported sold 2.5 million copies. Plagiarism was proved and Lord Invader was compensated. This case helped to popularize Calypso in the United States.
What are the Grammys?
The Grammy Awards, or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States (NARAS) to recognize “outstanding” achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious and significant awards in the music industry worldwide.
Reggae music (Jamaica) has been a Grammy category since 1985. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, eligible works are vocal or instrumental reggae albums “containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded music”, including roots reggae, dancehall and ska music.
Based on the evolvement of Calypso/Soca through the years, the genre seems a good fit for consideration.
Figaro added, “One can further emphasize the need for a Calypso music category by citing the Baha Men and their recording “Who Let The Dogs Out.” This group and their track received the 2000 Grammy Award for the “Best Dance Recording.”
Most world renowned music producers categorized this recording as a Calypso. On the other hand, isn’t it ironic that the legendary Harry Balafonte received the 2000 “Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award for Calypso, an artform for which there is no category?”
Mr. Figaro also shared that even back in the day there was support for a Calypso/Soca as a Grammy category, and the United Nations was supportive.
He said, “I can also recall, in 2002, world renowned career Diplomat of the United Nations, Dr. Hans Geiser wrote the following in a letter to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS – the organization that promotes the annual Grammy Awards)”.
Dr. Geiser said, “We at the United Nations, for quite some time now, have become keenly aware of the importance of Calypso and Sttelband music as a unique and authentic art form that has been growing and expanding over the years from it humble beginnings in Trinidad and Tobago onto the stage of world music.”
“We recognize Calypso music not only as a unique art form with worldwide appeal, but an art form that lends itself par excellence to effectively promote and disseminate values and messages the United Nations stand for. We have indeed used this artform and some of the more prominent recordings artistes in United Nations campaigns against drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and in support of youth development worldwide.”
In the past two decades the genre has well-evolved, and the effort by artists to put Soca on the world stage has increased tenfold. Soca music has gained massive popularity over the years and is now Caribbean music with artists from the small islands being highly popular. It is also still closely allied with Carnivals, with a number of releases mainly focused on the Trinidad Carnival cycle, effectively from late November to February of the following year.
In modern times, Soca’s development as a musical genre includes its fusion with Calypso, Chutney, Reggae, Zouk, Latin, Cadence and traditional West African rhythms. Soca artists year after year put Soca music on the map, and around the globe. Collaborations with popular world music artists in these different categories gives Soca its uniqueness.
However, even with its legacy, there seems to be some disorganization within the Calypso and Soca music industry that prevents the movement of the genre to the Grammy level.
Elizabeth ‘Lady’ Montano, mother of Soca King Machel Montano, shared that “we (the Caribbean region) don’t have enough representation”…Soca Music is based on live performances more than sales. [Becoming a Grammy category is] based on the number of sales, and the number of people registered with the Recording Academy (NARAS) – writers, artists, producers – which would enable us to vote/nominate people to the category…
“We need numbers and a Caribbean front for this effort. We need to support each other and do more work with our music. Then there is the issue of seasonality…”
Despite all of this, Figaro believes “a Grammy Award category for Calypso Music will enhance and expand NARAS outreach to a truly universal artform and, in so doing, will significantly increase its membership base. A Grammy Award category for Calypso music is long overdue.”
Trinidad & Tobago Consul General Andre Laveau says, “Awards mean a lot in music. They create awareness not only about the type of music being honored but a lot about the country of its origin – its virtues, its priorities, its habits, its level of self-confidence about its own worthiness. A Grammy Award for Calypso/Soca, would greatly propel Trinidad and Tobago’s and the Caribbean’s sense of self as it would place its music among the world’s giants.”
Based on every comment we received, the question is :
Can we come together as a united front in the Caribbean to meet this milestone for the Calypso/Soca genre? And will that happen this lifetime?
Maybe Jamaica will share what they did to ensure Reggae made the list. We are hopeful, and only time will tell.
